BAR PILOT

Spirited Away

Lee Medoff to run Bull Run Distillery

Posted by: John Chandler on Sep 01, 2010 at 01:00PM 6 Comments

Lee Medoff (right), a founding member of House Spirits Distillery, will soon open Bull Run Distillery in Northwest Portland.

Lee Medoff has been with House Spirits Distillery since its inception in 2002 and as cofounder, helped develop some of its trademark potables including Aviation gin and Medoyeff vodka. Now, after establishing House Spirits as a major player in the artisan liquor business, he’s moving to the dark side. With favorable winds and good luck, he’ll open Bull Run Distillery in late November, a fledgling operation that will specialize in “dark spirits” like whiskey and rum. In addition, his own Medoyeff vodka will be part of the inventory.

The new venture is not due to any rancor between Medoff and his House Spirits partner Christian Krogstad. In fact, it’s because of their success that Medoff feels empowered to try something else. “Aviation gin is available everywhere from Berlin to Sydney,” Medoff tells me. “But I think the dark spirits—rum and whiskey—represent the future of craft distilling.”

Bull Run Distillery, like House Spirits, will have a tasting room and retail space open to the public (NW 23rd Ave and Quimby St), and will periodically turn out small-batch artisan spirits. Medoff is installing two 800-gallon stills to up his production numbers. “This way we’ll be able to produce five barrels of rum or whiskey at a time,” he says. As for turning his attention to rum, a spirit much maligned as a fool-proof ingredient for cocktails favored by amateur imbibers, Medoff vows to bring a level of sophistication to his creations.

“Besides, I really like rum,” he confesses. Stay tuned for further developments.

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Tags: Bar Openings, Whiskey, Rum, Local Distilleries

Barrel Roll

Whiskey at Urban Farmer

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 21, 2010 at 03:00PM 9 Comments

What better way to start the day than sipping whiskey straight from the barrel? I snagged an invite this morning to witness (and sample) some of the House Spirits-distilled whiskey that will be available exclusively at Urban Farmer, the spiffy steakhouse on the eighth floor of the Nines Hotel. Lee Medoff from House Spirits and Dan Stern, the head bartender at Urban Farmer, fielded my inane questions while tending to the business of tapping a 15-month-old barrel and bottling its potent contents for the restaurant’s discriminating clientele.

Medoff was the chemist in charge, dutifully adding water to the mix to arrive at a suitable proofage. We also passed around some of the “white dog” or moonshine that’s on the Urban Farmer menu, which is a lively clear spirit; essentially whiskey that hasn’t been aged at all. Both intern Robert Runyon and I found the elixir surprisingly easy to drink, with a strong floral profile.

“We’re not into labels,” Medoff explained, when I asked if the UF whiskey was based on any particular style (scotch, bourbon, sour mash, Canadian, etc.). “It’s Oregon whiskey made with Bull Run water and it’s composed of 80 percent rye and 20 percent barley.”

After several tastes (I lost count—and subsequently got lost looking for the elevator) of whiskey from different types of barrels (new American, new French, and second-filled American), I’m floored that so much of the whiskey’s aroma, mouth-feel, and flavor comes directly from the wood and nothing else. There are no additives in this mix: It’s all just hooch + barrel + time = smooth, delicious whiskey with a number of intriguing taste characteristics.

Normally, the Urban Farmer is a wee bit out of my price range (OK, it’s way out of my price range) but I’m going to put on my thinking cap and devise some ingenious way to become a regular. At least at the bar.

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Tags: Whiskey

Whiskey Manners

Order without embarrassment

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 15, 2010 at 09:00AM 12 Comments

I’m currently slaving away on a feature for the magazine about Oregon-made whiskeys, so a large part of my work day of late has been taken up with research. High-level analysis of aroma, taste, finish, and secondary characteristics cannot be rushed, my friends. So it is with a single-minded zeal found only in the most devoted of lunatics that I sit here sipping whiskey from morn till quitting time. And then I spin around in my chair really fast to heighten the experience. Hey, you have your research methods, and I have mine.

During a much-needed break, one of my coworkers posed the following question: “I’d like to try more whiskeys, but I really don’t know where to start. How do you order it without sounding like a sap? And what’s a good brand to ask for that doesn’t cost a zillion dollars?”

Fair enough.

Since there are all kinds of whiskeys, each with its own nifty flavor profile, it will take some experimenting to find your comfort zone. And while it’s true that a good single malt scotch like Talisker or Balvenie is best savored neat, a couple ice cubes is always a good idea with Irish whiskeys such as Bushmills or Jamesons. Don’t let anyone tell you that a few chunks of ice is going to “dilute” the whiskey. I’ve found that light ice is a time-release flavor enhancer. The first few sips will basically reveal the true essence of the spirit, and the gradual melting slowly adds a little more water to the mix, which brings out different aromas and flavors. You really can’t go wrong ordering whiskey on the rocks or with just a splash of water. I usually request the brand with light rocks, as in, “Bushmills. Light rocks.” Try it! Remember, whiskey is meant for slow sipping; each nuance of flavor is an uncharted island that demands exploration.

For bourbon, which is primarily a corn base with vanilla grace notes, I like Eagle Rare, Woodford’s Reserve (pricey!), Booker’s, or Blanton’s. None of these (other than Woodford’s) should unduly stress out your wallet. And of course, there’s the Portlander’s default drink, Maker’s and soda.

And thanks to a timely tip from my brother Dave, I am also enjoying George Dickel 12, a really tasty—and modestly priced—Tennessee whiskey that manages a delicate balance of smoke and sweet.

OK drinking buddies, the subject is whiskey. What are your favorites, and how do you take it?

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Tags: Whiskey

Booze: The Greatest Gift

Potable presents part deux

Posted by: John Chandler on Dec 21, 2009 at 02:00PM 12 Comments

Santa, be a Scotsman tonight.

So, what terrors await thee ’neath the Christmas tree this year? Horrible, horrible clothes? Music from a relative who has no idea what you like? The dreaded “gag” gift? (A Chia Pet is funny once. Once!)

Next time you come around to my place, check out the basement. It’s piled floor to ceiling with useless crapola. It’s gotten to be such a prolific dumping site, that we can’t even find the washer and dryer. Now we’re forced to schlep our clothes to the laundromat where we’re at the mercy of cut purses, drug-addled babblers, escaped lunatics, three-card Monty sharps, and fundamentalist missionaries prepared to debate metaphysics till Doomsday.

The point is, I have too much crap. And approximately 94 percent of my detritus can be traced to uninspired Christmas gift-giving. It’s all there: George Foreman grills, macramé kits, bath robes, magnetic poetry, pogo sticks, bottles of malodorous cologne, snow globes, coffee mugs (I don’t drink coffee, thankyouverymuch), and at least a dozen jigsaw puzzles that have inexplicably ended up in the same box. Which is great if you’ve ever wanted to see the Great Pyramid of Giza located a little closer to the Alps.

Don’t pussyfoot around this year. Get the lush on your list a bottle of something memorable and affordable. For instance:

Aviation Gin Buy local! Aromatic, herbaceous, and shockingly drinkable (straight!) Aviation is a Dutch-style gin distilled right here in the Rose City. Even a gin and tonic, the most prosaic well drink of them all, becomes something altogether more bracing and complex.

Balvenie Single Malt Scoth Whiskey It’s hard to go wrong with a good single malt, but I can tell you that after my girlfriend got me a fifth of Balvenie for Christmas two years ago, I knew it was true love. Yes, a bottle of Balvenie 30-year can retail for upwards of $500, but let’s face it: We don’t love anybody that much. Stick to the 15-year, which is closer to $50. Sweet, smoky, and smooth as a James Bond pick-up line, it’s totally acceptable to crack open this bad boy whilst the rug rats run amok around the tree. Cheers!

Flor de Caña Rum This Nicaraguan spirit company has many superb varieties of rum, ranging from the top-shelf and spendy Centario Gold 18 Year, to the modestly priced 4 Year Gold, which is in the Sailor Jerry/Captain Morgan neighborhood cost-wise. Caramel and exotic spice notes are abundant.

Hardy’s “Whiskers Blake” Tawny Port On a budget this year? Welcome to the club. Fortunately, a bottle of “Whiskers Blake” from Australia will set you back a measly $12 or so. And for the money it’s a respectably rosy and robust after-dinner delight.

Wild Turkey American Honey A bottle goes for around $20, and it’s money well spent. A raft of cocktail pundits raved about American Honey served chilled and on the rocks, but I prefer this velvety honey liqueur (picture a more rustic version of Drambuie) as a crucial additive in a hot drink. A generous pour mixed with a mug of apple-cinnamon Theraflu became my most reliable restorative during an otherwise miserable bout with the flu this season.

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Tags: Wine, Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Local Distilleries, Gift Giving

Sour Power

More hints from Howdini

Posted by: John Chandler on Sep 22, 2009 at 04:00PM 8 Comments

I’ve been on a whiskey sour kick lately, and I’ve discovered a few things: fresh juice is a must. Bottled sour mix tastes like a pack of Sweet Tarts that’s been stashed in a cat box, so invest in a hand-squeeze juicer. As far as the brand of bourbon goes, I honestly haven’t had a really bad one, but I like Eagle Rare. Heck, Old Grandad is a bargain at $16, for that matter. I prefer to keep the proof down around 80-90 so as to better appreciate all the woody, smoky goodness.

It’s an easy one to make too. All you need is bourbon, lemons, limes, and simple syrup (a sugar and water solution).

The sun appears to still be in working order outside and a whiskey sour is ideal for an afternoon of idling in the hammock.

Once again, here’s our friend Alan Katz from Howdini.com.

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Tags: Cocktails, Whiskey

Happy Hour: Pope House Bourbon Lounge

I’m drowning in a whiskey river—and loving it.

Posted by: John Chandler on Aug 14, 2009 at 01:00PM 3 Comments

Photo: John Chandler

The former locale of the Brazen Bean, an upscale purveyor of martinis, is now home to Pope House Bourbon Lounge.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The former locale of the Brazen Bean, an upscale purveyor of martinis, is now home to Pope House Bourbon Lounge.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The bar at the Pope House Bourbon Lounge is small, but the whiskey selection is profound.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The Longshot Lemonade and the Derby Cooler are among the 32 specialty cocktails available.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The Hot Brown on toasted jalapeño bread. A sweet deal at $5.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

Is there a more rib-sticking snack than Frito Pie? We thought not.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

A glass of Eagle Rare 10-year-old bourbon backed with a pint of kolsch: a winning combination.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The pulled-pork quesadilla is enlivened with a potent bourbon barbecue sauce.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

Don’t forget to save room for deviled eggs and tea sandwiches!

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

And finally, after another kolsch and a glass of Hirsch Small Batch Reserve (bourbon), it’s off to bed for this little Bar Pilot.

Southern hospitality is alive and well at Pope House Bourbon Lounge.

When I asked co-owner Kitling Lum, a Kentucky native, about the generous duration of her happy hour (from 4 to 7), she shrugged. “Those were the happy hours we always looked for,” Lum said. “A six o’clock happy hour doesn’t cut it if you have a job.”

Amen. I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to draconian happy hour policies, but this is a personal crusade, and crusades are no place for diplomacy.

Anyway, Lum and her partner, Joel Carson, have only had their doors open for a few weeks, but they have the concept of happy hour nailed down. Drink specials? Yep. Reasonably priced food? Uh-huh. Food doesn’t suck? No, it surely doesn’t. And with guests having the luxury to mull over menu options till 7, there’s no nagging sense of urgency that can ruin an after-work nosh.

Let’s start with the Frito Pie, shall we? A pile of dependable corn curls are slathered with a dollop of robust, slightly sweet chili (a dash of molasses?) and garnished with sour cream and jalapeños. Four bucks and it’s a solid “8” on the yum scale.

The Hot Brown ($5) is a Louisville staple, a thin-sliced turkey sandwich with bacon and melted cheddar that comes betwixt your choice of three different toasted breads. Don’t screw around; get the jalapeño bread. It leaves a pleasant little burning tingle on the roof of your mouth that roars to life when introduced to the smooth, smokey charms of Eagle Rare 10-year-old bourbon.

The three varieties of tea sandwiches may look like dainty doodles fit for a dollhouse tea party, but both the pimento cheese and benedictine (a creamy cucumber spread) sandwiches have a peppery kick to them. And if I had room, I would write a sonnet worthy of John Donne about the pulled-pork quesadilla with sweet-hot bourbon barbecue sauce. For the moment, feisty and filling will have to suffice.

The drink specials are a nifty bargain at $4, especially the Derby Cooler, an invigorating combo of Evan Williams black bourbon, light rum, orange and lemon juices, and grenadine. The fact that my girlfriend wouldn’t part with even a sip of her Longshot Lemonade (Sailor Jerry rum, triple sec, lemonade, soda) speaks greatly to its appeal. Either that or I really need to floss more often.

The spirit of the Bluegrass state permeates the 32 offerings on the cocktail list with monikers like the Kentucky Bramble, Kentucky Thunder, and Kentucky Breeze representing Lum’s stomping grounds.

Still, a mixed drink shouldn’t distract from the allure of the forty-odd bourbons, five American whiskeys, four Tennessee whiskeys, eight rye whiskeys, four Canadian whiskeys, eighteen Scotches, and three Irish whiskeys on hand for your sipping pleasure. Not down with the brown? No sweat, there’s a full bar, but to not avail oneself of the variety of smoldering, rich, caramel tastes that come from properly aged barrels is an opportunity sadly missed.

Lest anyone think I’m incapable of criticism, I’d like to mention that, in my opinion, the Vieux Carre (Bulleit bourbon, brandy, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud’s bitters), a New Orleans drink traditionally poured on the rocks, would be better served up. However, I welcome arguments to the contrary. I also look forward to luxuriating over more of Pope House’s bodacious bourbons until the clock strikes 7, an hour when a true Southern gentlemen should bid his companions adieu and begin that long, introspective trek back to ol’ Tara.

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Tags: Happy Hour, Whiskey

Bourbon Street

Kentucky whiskey? Yes, please!

Posted by: John Chandler on Aug 07, 2009 at 05:00PM 10 Comments

Oh, sweet bourbon, you understand me.

Just between you, me, and the potted plants, I’m burned out on vodka. It’s trite, flavorless, and it’s the key component in so many, frankly, juvenile drinks, that I’ve lost most of my respect for the stuff.

Tequila? Once in a while, but the very aroma takes me back to some very regrettable situations, like getting threatened and tossed out of the Blue Moon in Coos Bay for hurling on a pool table. I think my picture is still behind the bar with a note that says, “Shoot on sight.”

In an effort to cultivate a more civilized air (always a good idea when the big 5-0 is on the horizon), I’ve been dipping my toe in the whiskey river. I’ve acquired a few sumptuous single-malt Scotch standbys, but my knowledge of bourbon, the American whiskey made primarily from corn, is sketchy at best, other than the ubiquitous Maker’s and soda.

So I imagine I’ll be spending some quality time at Pope House Bourbon Lounge, located at 2075 NW Glisan St, the former home of the Brazen Bean, the gone-but-not-forgotten martini emporium.

I chatted with Pope House co-owner Kitling Lum, herself a Kentucky native, as she painted a fairly compelling portrait of a brown-spirit establishment with 39 different varieties of bourbon and 25 other whiskeys of the Canadian, Irish, Scotch, and Tennessee varieties. “But it’s a full bar,” she assures me. “People who aren’t fans of whiskey will have plenty of choices.”

The food maintains the Southern hospitality vibe with an array of tea sandwiches, bourbon-barbecued pulled pork, and the Louisville Hot Brown, a grilled sandwich with thin-sliced turkey, bacon, cheddar, and house-made parmesan aioli.

I’m just hoping the magazine will reimburse me for a shot of exquisite 28-year-old Hirsch bourbon, which goes for the princely sum of $70. “It’s a supply and demand thing,” Lum tells me. “Once that bottle’s gone, we don’t think we can find another one.”

Which means I’d better hurry. Who’s up for a taste of Kentucky’s finest in the next week or so? Or perhaps a pimento-cheese tea sandwich?

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Tags: Whiskey